Review & Contest: J’adore New York by Isabelle Laflèche

When Catherine Lambert, an effortlessly chic Parisian lawyer, receives an offer to transfer to the New York office of her prestigious firm, she unhesitatingly accepts. A dedicated follower of fashion and everything stylish, she is determined to conquer the high-flying world of Manhattan law — and love. Catherine’s dreams of glamour fizzle quickly, however, when she is faced with the hard realities of her profession. The pressure of billable hours, the incessant demands of her impossible bosses, the conspiracies of two malicious secretaries and the advances of the lecherous client prompt her to question her career choice. But then she meets Jeffrey Richardson, a powerful client, and her New York life takes on the romance she’d hoped it would — until an unexpected request forces Catherine to re-evaluate the exclusive world she’s chosen for herself.

With its insider’s perspective on the dirty deals and intrigue that have darkened Wall Street’s reputation, J’ADORE NEW YORK is a bright and funny take on the lives and laws of New York’s most powerful players.

Review: When BookSparks PR approached me about featuring J’adore New York, I was intrigued. It’s not my normal sort of read and I’m not typically drawn to chick-lit but something about this book made me want to read it and not just pass on by.

I think what caught my eye was that this story is told from the point of view of a french woman, Catherine, who has transferred to New York to practice law. She is thrown into a cutthroat world of office politics, fashion, society parties and romance. Sounds… fun.

While I liked Catherine and her assistant, Rikash, I could have done without most of the other characters in the story. Catherine’s co-workers are all insane, her “friends” are all snobs and her romance isn’t quite what it seems. I felt so sorry for Catherine and hoped and prayed that i the end something good would happen to her. I wish there were more scenes with Rikash as they were highlights for me.

The book was an interesting look into the world of law. Long hours, hard work, backstabbing… makes me thankful I decided not to pursue a career in law (I would have been chewed up and spit out). However, at times the legal jargon got to be too much for me. I found myself starting to skim when the legalese started and had to force myself to stop.

But all that said, for a debut novel, Ms Laflèche has created a solid story. Fan of chick-lit might get more out of it than I did.

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The contest ends on Sunday, October 2.

Isabelle Laflèche is no stranger to the corporate world she writes about. She worked for over ten years in Toronto, New York City and Montreal as a corporate attorney in a large law firm and on Wall Street. In 2005, she was responsible for the business affairs of a Quebec based fashion designer where she developed her penchant for haute couture. She now lives in Montreal, Quebec.

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